


Tour Guide

by canidswain



Series: Batter redemption AU [4]
Category: OFF (Game)
Genre: Batter trying to be comforting, Comfort, Fluff, M/M, Minor Violence, Not really written as a Batter/Elsen but I guess if you wanna read it that way you can, Protective Batter, That lost Elsen in the mall, he's awkward
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-05 06:34:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25319872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canidswain/pseuds/canidswain
Summary: The Batter found himself feeling awkward as he leant over the Elsen. He was probably scaring it, that wasn't good. That was the opposite of his goal. Hesitantly, the protector lowered himself to the ground and sat against the wall next to the Elsen.It blinked at him for a moment, biting its lip, and then looked away as if expecting to be hurt or something similar. He made a point to put his bat down and roll it away from them, immediately beginning to fidget with his fingers now that there was nothing occupying them. The Elsen's shoulders relaxed just slightly.
Relationships: The Batter/Zacharie, implied however not main focus
Series: Batter redemption AU [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1819504
Comments: 13
Kudos: 90





	Tour Guide

**Author's Note:**

> I LIKE THIS ONE A LOT OK HJDFDK......... ITS CUTE I LIKE BATTER TRYING TO BE NICE  
> that poor fucking elsen just sat in the mall for like Weeks while batter and zacharie are gaying in the front room. its okay now dont worry  
> btw if any of you ever wanted to see me anywhere else, i am currently fagduffy on tumblr! i dont post a lot about off there but i definitely would if people who liked my fics followed me :] feel free to send asks about this au as well i love talking about it!!!! and maybe... maybe fanart if anyone ever felt like it

Despite now being able to control his own actions and make his own decisions since they banished the Player, the Batter chose to continue his mission of purification. However, he reworked his goal - he had no desire to slaughter helpless Elsen, and though he despised the guardians, he knew the zones would perish if they were exterminated.

So, Batter edited his mission; he was no longer a purifier, now a protector instead. He resided peacefully in zone 2 with Zacharie, and each day would venture out into the zones to assure that the spectres had not become too numerous and troublesome.

It felt good to cull them of his own volition, knowing that they meant only harm to the Elsen. Self defence. The Elsen were still intimidated of him, obvious in the way they skittered about around him and squeaked when he made eye contact, but now he firmly established himself as their protector. They appreciated him, in their antsy little ways. They were quite charming pipsqueaks; Zacharie stated this one night and he solemnly agreed.

Every so often Zacharie would comment to the Batter that the spectres in their own home were becoming multitudinous, thus leading the protector to venture into the labyrinthine back hallways of the Mall to slay them.

These trips always lasted longer than he anticipated, as no matter how many times Batter convinced himself he had memorised the layout of the Mall, the corridors always seemed to change. He'd complained to Zacharie about this once and was met with the usual "randomising repeat environments" video-game talk that made him feel sick. So he stopped asking about such things and simply prepared himself to walk in circles for an hour more than he expected.

The Batter was on one such expedition currently, wandering aimlessly about the hallways and turning the idea of marking his path over in his head. He came to a doorway, briskly marching through in the hopes that it was the exit.

It was unfortunately not. He burst into a storage room littered with crates, and with a simple sweep of the room he sighed and prepared to turn back the way he came.

A quiet, wavery voice halted him in his tracks, "I'm lost..."

Righting himself and peering closer, the Batter now noticed an Elsen tucked away in a small crevice hidden by the wall opposite him. He crept closer, cautious - sometimes the residents of the zones didn't react all that well to an imposing man with a bat. The Elsen was gazing vacantly past him.

"I could make a fire with the boxes... to ward off the ghosts..." The Elsen hugged its knees tighter, "But... that would be too dangerous."

His expression staying solid and neutral, Batter tipped his cap up a little and wondered how long the Elsen had been here. They visited the Mall often, and many would stray into the back hallways to peruse stock - he found himself hoping the Elsen hadn't been here too long.

"There are not many spectres anymore," he found himself saying, "I have been clearing this Mall of their impure grasp."

The Elsen blinked, like it had just realised he was there, and stared up at him with a troubled expression. "...Oh?"

"Yes. They will not be an issue, you can leave unscathed."

This did not seem to reassure it, he thought as it lowered its gaze again. "Oh... well..."

The Batter found himself feeling awkward as he leant over the Elsen. He was probably scaring it, that wasn't good. That was the opposite of his goal. Hesitantly, the protector lowered himself to the ground and sat against the wall next to the Elsen.

It blinked at him for a moment, biting its lip, and then looked away as if expecting to be hurt or something similar. He made a point to put his bat down and roll it away from them, immediately beginning to fidget with his fingers now that there was nothing occupying them. The Elsen's shoulders relaxed just slightly.

"It's so... easy to get lost in here. It's scary... so many ghosts."

Batter simply nodded, feeling far more stiff than he ought to. For a moment, his heart seized, recognising the familiar rigidness of the Player assuming control - but he calmed down once he remembered he was still moving his fingers of his own free will. No, he was just awkward. Good.

"How long have you been in here?" He cringed internally at his own voice - too loud, too accented, too monotonous and harsh compared to the Elsen. His fingers found purchase in the loose fabric of his trousers, scrunching up the creases further as his eyes darted about.

"Um... I don't remember. I-I'm sorry."

"It's fine."

Silence overtook them again. Batter was grinding his teeth. The Elsen buried its face in its knees.

"If you follow me, I can guide you out. I can protect you; the spectres are no match for my bat."

Lifting its head, the Elsen blinked at him again, brow creasing in worry. "A-are... are you sure? They're so deadly... and- and dangerous, surely a simple... bat is nothing against them." Its fists were clenched tightly into the fabric of its work shirt, trembling. "...Ah! No- no offense of course, apologies..."

Batter sighed out of his nose, before climbing to his feet and retrieving his bat. He turned back around to the Elsen - who looked terrified, clearly worried it had upset him. He blinked in bewilderment for a moment. It continued to shake.

Slowly, he came closer, keeping his bat well out of the way, and held his hand out to it. "Here, I will protect you. You do not have to worry." When it didn't move, he grit his teeth. "You may... even hold my hand if that will help."

With little more prompting needed, the Elsen allowed itself to be helped up and kept its shivery hand firmly locked into the Batter's chill grasp. Together, they left the storage room, and continued traversing the many identical corridors of the mall.

On the few occasions they would meet a ghoul, the Batter would crowd the Elsen behind him and reduce to spectre to nothing in record time. It would leave his companion thoroughly shaken, but he could see that it was coming to trust him. That was good.

After at least another half hour, they finally emerged out into the main hallway and Batter hurried back to the front of the shop, tugging the Elsen along with him. Entering the room, Zacharie (who was sat at the counter, looking bored) immediately locked eyes with him and then skipped his gaze down to the shaken up Elsen. And then his eyes trailed further down to the pair's hands, still firmly gripped together. Batter could feel the amusement radiating off of his partner from the other side of the room.

"I'll brew some tea."


End file.
